Title
Low Impact Development Code Revisions
Report
UAC Deliverable:
Briefing only
Staff Contacts:
Eric Christensen, Planning and Engineering Manager, 360.570.3741
Laura Keehan, Senior Planner, 360.753.8321
Andy Haub, Water Resources Director, 360.753.8475
Background and Analysis:
The Washington State Department of Ecology defines low impact development (LID) as a stormwater and land use management strategy that strives to mimic natural hydrologic processes such as infiltration, filtration, and evaporation of precipitation. The strategy emphasizes natural resource conservation, site planning, and small-scale stormwater management practices that are integrated into the project design. Low impact techniques include careful site design and innovative stormwater management approaches such as minimizing impervious pavement surfaces, bioretention, and compost-amended soils.
The City of Olympia is required by the State to evaluate our various codes and regulations in order to "make LID the preferred and commonly used approach to site development." Regardless of the State mandate, Olympia has longstanding interest and experience with LID techniques. However, unlike past work, Olympia's code and regulations will now be comprehensively evaluated and refined. The Washington Department of Ecology provides a basic, mandatory process for conducting the codes revisions.
Olympia's Public Works and Community Planning and Development Departments assembled a LID code revision team in February, 2014. The team meets twice a month. Key tasks that are underway or completed include:
* Identifying specific City code and standards that need to be evaluated for potential revisions.
* Developing a public decision-making process and schedule.
* Drafting 25 issue papers that evaluate the potential use of specific low impact development techniques in Olympia. Work on the issue papers is not complete and will continue over the winter.
* Helping sponsor a local ...
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